Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Herat

For one person, living is cheaper in Herat: $390 a month against $2,663 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $27,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,663

/mo nomad

Herat

🇦🇫 Afghanistan

$390

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Herat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Herat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,663 in Austin, TX versus $390 in Herat.

Austin, TX $2,663
Herat $390

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $467 in Herat.

Austin, TX $4,133
Herat $467

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,603 in Austin, TX versus $544 in Herat.

Austin, TX $5,603
Herat $544

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 583% more expensive than in Herat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 97% above, Herat is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.77 $20.77

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.6 $84.6

$9.11 ؋591

828.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.32 $12.32

$3.81 ؋247

223.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 ؋101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 ؋485

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$0.80 ؋51.9

603.75%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$0.47 ؋30.48

691.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 $9.01

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.59 ؋38.29

89.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$1.80 ؋117

131.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.16 $14.16

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$5.97 ؋387

171.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$0.60 ؋39.20

621.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.75 ؋48.69

94.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

Tomato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$0.64 ؋41.37

578.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.30 ؋19.23

760.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.30 ؋19.17

683.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.30 ؋19.25

640.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 ؋28.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.13 ؋203

215.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 $41.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 $2.73

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.30 $35.30

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K $36.0K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K $27.1K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$229 $229

$305 ؋19.8K

-24.92%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.4 $59.4

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 $57.2

$15.17 ؋983

277.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 $16.33

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,506 $1,506

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 $1,907

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,664 $3,664

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,614 $7,614

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,157 $3,157

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,121 $5,121

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

-66.05%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Austin, TX: October 12, 2026

Last update for Herat: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.8%

Herat

–

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$405 15.2%

Herat

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$358 13.5%

Herat

–

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$354 13.3%

Herat

–

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$128 4.8%

Herat

–

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.2%

Herat

–

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$59 2.2%

Herat

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $9.00 in Herat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $47.00 per month, with Herat cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇦🇫 Herat

🕒 Local time

11:44 11:44 AM

21:14 9:14 PM

9 h 30 min ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

349,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Afghanistan Afghani AFN ؋

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 AFN = 1.54 USD

100 AFN = 1.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇦🇫 Afghanistan Afghani (؋)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

AFN to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Austin, TX Herat 12,530 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Herat

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Austin, TX vs Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Herat wins on cost – living expenses run 583% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Herat the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $3,995 in Austin, TX and $585 in Herat to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

All in, you'll spend $2,663 per month in Austin, TX versus $390 in Herat – a 583% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 765% higher in Austin, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $390 in Herat versus $2,663 in Austin, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Herat but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Herat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Herat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 583% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.